Reviewed against current IRCC guidance on 8 September 2026
Canada visa photo requirements35 x 45 mm TRV, route-specific digital uploads
IRCC does not use one photo rule for every Canadian immigration document. Temporary resident visas, IEC work permits, and permanent residence applications each publish different photo instructions.
Canada requirements-only route. IRCC guidance for reviewed routes restricts digital alteration and professional-photo handling. PassPhoto does not upload, crop, resize, retouch, replace the background, store, submit, or prepare Canadian immigration photos.
Route first
Canada visa photo size depends on the application checklist
Temporary resident visa
2 printed photos, at least 35 x 45 mm
IRCC lists 31-36 mm chin-to-crown head height, plain white or light-coloured background, neutral expression, and no digital alteration.
Read official guidanceIEC and work-permit upload
At least 420 x 540 px, 60 KB minimum
The IEC digital-photo section also says JPEG or JPEG2000, RGB colour, and an ideal final size of 240 KB.
Read official guidancePermanent residence portal
715 x 1000 to 2000 x 2800 px, max 4 MB
Go to a commercial photographer or studio. Online PR applications need the photo plus back-of-photo or studio-confirmation information.
Read official guidanceTRV print
35 x 45 mm minimum
Two photos on quality paper.
IEC digital
420 x 540 px minimum
JPEG/JPEG2000, 60 KB minimum.
PR portal
715 x 1000-2000 x 2800 px
JPEG/JPG, 4 MB maximum.
Route control
Use your checklist
Account instructions take priority.
Browser-only checks
Check the file only after you know the IRCC route
These checks read the selected file in your browser. They do not change the image and cannot verify photographer details, visual quality, or whether your IRCC account asked for this exact document.
Free technical file check
Check an IEC or work-permit digital photo
Choose the original photo file
We inspect the selected file locally. It is not uploaded, cropped, compressed, retouched, background-replaced, or stored.
Official range: at least 420 x 540 px, JPEG, at least 60 KB; 240 KB is ideal
Free technical file check
Check a Canada PR portal photo file
Choose the original photo file
Choose the professional digital photo or scan requested by IRCC. We inspect it locally without uploading, cropping, compressing, retouching, background-replacing, or storing it.
Official range: 715 x 1000 to 2000 x 2800 px, JPEG/JPG, maximum 4 MB
Do not alter the photo
IRCC treats common edits as photo alteration
The PR page defines alteration broadly, including technical corrections and enhancements, cropping the head and shoulders onto a white background, facial-feature changes, glare or red-eye removal, clothing edits, and background changes. TRV guidance also says digital photographs must not be altered in any way.
Safer capture guidance
- Use the photographer, studio, or capture path named in your application guide.
- Keep the original photo unaltered; do not replace the background or retouch.
- Upload required back-of-photo or studio confirmation details when IRCC asks.
- Follow a stricter instruction shown inside your account over any generic guide.
Public result conflicts
Do not treat generic Canada photo makers as IRCC instructions
Reviewed public results on 8 September 2026 still flatten Canada immigration photos into one-click 35 x 45 mm makers, AI background replacement, white-background fixes, compliance checks, and PR portal output presets. Current IRCC guidance instead separates TRV prints, IEC or work-permit uploads, and PR portal photos, and the reviewed routes restrict digital alteration, background changes, and non-professional capture.
Official sources
Sources reviewed on 8 September 2026
FAQ
Canada visa photo questions
What size is a Canada temporary resident visa photo?
The IRCC temporary resident visa specification requires two photographs printed on quality photographic paper. The frame must be at least 35 mm x 45 mm, and the head from chin to crown must be 31-36 mm. If photographs are digital, IRCC says they must not be altered in any way.
Which Canada visa photo route should I follow?
Use the route named in your IRCC checklist. Temporary resident visa applications use at least 35 x 45 mm prints, IEC and some work-permit uploads publish a digital minimum, and permanent residence applications use their own professional-photo and portal requirements.
What are the Canada PR portal digital photo requirements?
The current IRCC PR photo page says online applicants need one digital photo, taken by a commercial photographer or studio, with dimensions from 715 x 1000 to 2000 x 2800 pixels, file size 4 MB or less, and .jpeg or .jpg format. The same page says the photo must not be altered in any way.
Can I use a phone selfie for a Canada PR photo?
IRCC tells PR applicants to go to a commercial photographer or studio. It accepts a professional digital photo or a scanned copy of a printed professional photo, but not a picture of a paper photo taken with a digital camera or phone.
What file size does an IEC or work permit photo need?
The current IEC work-permit guide says the digital photo must be at least 420 x 540 pixels, JPEG or JPEG2000, colour in 24-bit RGB, ideally 240 KB, and not less than 60 KB. If your account or document checklist gives stricter instructions, follow that route-specific instruction.
Can PassPhoto replace the background for a Canada visa or PR photo?
No for the reviewed route set. IRCC temporary resident visa guidance says digital photographs must not be altered in any way, and the permanent residence page explicitly includes background changes and cropping the head and shoulders onto a white background as alteration. PassPhoto keeps Canada requirements-only and does not upload, crop, resize, retouch, replace the background, or prepare an edited output.
Why do Canada immigration photo sizes differ?
IRCC publishes different requirements for temporary resident visas, work permits, and permanent residence. Temporary resident visa photos use at least 35 x 45 mm, while permanent residence applications use professional photos and route-specific physical or portal requirements. Follow the checklist for your application.
Do the local checkers guarantee IRCC acceptance?
No. They only compare file type, size, and dimensions against the selected technical rule. They cannot verify photographer credentials, studio information, photo age, natural skin tone, lighting, background, pose, expression, alteration, route eligibility, or officer review.